Emma Watson 'in final talks' to star as Belle in 'Beauty And The Beast'

Emma Watson 'in final talks' to star as Belle in Beauty And The Beast

Just when we thought Emma Watson was done with magic spells, new reports suggest that the actress may be set to star in one of the best-loved classic fairytales.
The 21-year-old is rumoured to be in the 'final stages' of talks to play Belle in a new adaptation of Beauty And The Beast.
The film, by Pan's Labyrinth director Guillermo Del Toro, is slated for release in 2014 and according to industry paper Variety, will be named simply Beast.

Belle of the ball: Emma Watson is rumoured to be in 'final talks' to play Belle in a new Beauty And The Beast film

No other casting details have been circulated yet, including who will take on the role of Beast.

Del Toro reportedly said last year that he believed the Harry Potter actress would be 'perfect' for the role.
Bridget Jones' Diary writer Andrew Davies is penning the screenplay.

Classic: The fairytale dates back to 1740, with perhaps the most famous adaptation the 1991 Disney film

Beauty And The Beast tells the story of how the young girl Belle is told she must live in a castle with the Beast, who is a former prince turned into a monster by a curse.
The story’s first known publication was in France in 1740, with countless adaptations in print, on stage and film.
Perhaps the most famous is the 1991 Disney animated film, which won two Oscars.

Making magic: Emma has been casting spells as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter franchise for over a decade

More recently, Vanessa Hudgens and Alex Pettyfer starred in a dark adaptation of the story, called Beastly.

Since Harry Potter, Miss Watson has appeared in My Week With Marilyn, and filmed a starring role in The Perks Of Being A Wallflower, to be released later in the year.
She has also signed on to star in drama Your Voice In My Head, about a self-destructive writer.